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plants

Regarded in the OT as gifts of God to be valued and not consumed selfishly or greedily (Gen. 1: 29–30; 3: 18), especially the vine (2 Kgs. 19: 29). In the NT plants and planting are used metaphorically—of God's work (Matt. 15: 13) and people's (Matt. 21: 33–41), and of a stage in the growth of a Church (I Cor. 3: 6–8). Palm trees were especially important, and flourished in adverse circumstances. In 71 CE the Romans depicted a palm tree on coins commemorating the defeat of the Jews in the recent war.